


just desserts

by artsyspikedhair



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Gen, Internalized Homophobia, Jewish Character, Jewish Identity, Lowercase, Mary Lou Barebone is Her Own Warning, Minor Character Death, Moving On, Past Relationship(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-28
Updated: 2017-05-28
Packaged: 2018-11-06 02:43:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11026944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/artsyspikedhair/pseuds/artsyspikedhair
Summary: credence is now homeless. jacob is now the owner of a bakery. the magic world may not approve of credence's new employment, but it comes with a home.





	just desserts

the obscurius stayed in control for two hours after credence almost died in the subway station. it was only when the magic deemed that credence was safe, that credence was given humanity again. he reformed in an alleyway, an alleyway like the one he met graves- can he still call the man graves? apparently he was some gellert grindy-thing now?- in. credence thought back to those clandestine meetings, when gellert? made him do- made him touch and be touched- gellert forced him to sin in return for failing to find the child. but that was over now. credence was the child, a child of seventeen with nowhere to call home. he spent the night in that alleyway, with dreams of dark eyes and his own belt falling over him ("HOW DARE YOU KILL ME?!" ma would shout, and credence didn't know didn't know how didn't know why he deserved being beat she was his mother he had no right to kill her). he woke up a day later, to a portly man shaking him awake. 

"hey hey, what're you doing sleeping outside of my bakery? i'm jacob, jacob kowalski, and i've got a bed inside if you'd like." 

credence muttered. "no-no money. i could pay in sex, though, if you'd like." 

"nonsense! i can put you to work in no time, and then you'll have money. i get lonely baking by myself too, so there's no need for rent. i own the place. wait- you said sex? how long have you been living out here, boy?" 

"a... day, maybe two. i- i didn't mean anything by it, i'm sorry, if you want me to go to confessions right away i understand i know i'm a dirty sinner i'm sorry for wasting your time-" 

"nono, now, i'm not one ta judge. i'm a bachelor myself, and a jew, so there'll be none of that dirty sinner talk from me. why don't you come inside, try some of my baklava?" 

"o-okay." credence followed the man, the- the jacob. he wondered if his blood would be put into the matzah, like his mother had always said jews did to christians, but he was also too hungry and embarrassed to care. talk about putting his foot in his mouth, where did that sex thing even come from? 

getting a job was really that simple. kowalski's magical creations took off like a bird, being one of the only kosher bakeries that catered to both jews and goyim, as well as having some of the most creative pastries ever to grace the mouths of new york. credence helped with braiding the challah and generally being an errand boy, but he really enjoyed the job. it gave him a place to sleep, and he realized now that he was out how hungry he had been at New Salem. the boy was growing like a weed. he also was somewhat intrigued by this new religion that jacob was introducing him to. he liked the candles and shabbos a lot better than doing communion, and the idea of religion where wrestling with g-d was allowed, and even encouraged, felt a lot less restrictive to him than the catholicism of his ma. he still felt guilty about these changes though, and sometimes half expected his ma to come back from the dead and beat him until the new religion was exorcised out like a demon. credence was trying to learn that jacob wouldn't hit him, but it was hard to remember. 

it was the day credence was being taught how to make matzah balls that things changed. two women came in, one whom credence recognized from before. she had tried to sue his ma for child abuse, and failed. her name was- tracy? 

"i had a challah reserved for tina goldstein." tina! that was her name. credence went on over to the rack. the goldsteins were new, not regulars, so it was surprising they would call ahead of time. looking at tina brought back memories of gellert, memories of hands and pain and sin, so credence avoided eye contact as he handed over the loaf. the blonde woman appeared to be blinking back tears, but lit up when jacob came out to greet them. 

he looked at the blonde. "do- do i know you?" the woman shook her head, but credence, spying an opportunity to play matchmaker, spoke up. 

"that's tina. goldstein. she, uh, she tried to help me back when my ma was alive." 

jacob knew about credence's ma, had seen the scars on his back and had been woken up by the younger man's nightmares often. "ah, well, any friend of credence is a friend of mine. i'm jacob kowalski, owner of the place." he outstretched a hand. 

the blonde took it. "i'm queenie, and that's the tina credence spoke of. i-uh, i actually wanted to speak to credence, if you don't mind. credence, it's about your sister." 

credence ran over to the women. he hadn't dare hope that modesty would still be alive, not after chastity and his ma went down in smoke. queenie ushered them over to a table, while tina ordered one of the niffler cupcakes. 

"credence, i-i'm from the wizarding world." queenie started, looking over to her sister who was bringing the sweets. " i- we- i know this sounds crazy, but i can read minds." credence clenched his entire body. she knew- she saw- he's a freak she'll take him over the police will kill him sodomy's a sin and it's against the law- "credence, no. i'm not trying to get you arrested, you were forced into doing those acts. you were forced, and so it's grindelwauld we're trying to get arrested. but i- that wasn't why i came over. it wasn't your fault, credence, but also, your sister was found several days ago. she's been hit by a carriage, and she- credence, this isn't your fault. you didn't mean to kill them, it's not- here, have a cupcake." credence was crying, but he took the cupcake. 

they had a long, long conversation with tina, who knew the police reports and everything. after it all, credence told jacob he wanted to try going to temple. not all religions had to hurt. maybe this one could heal. 


End file.
